Northside employers consistently face recruiting and retention challenges. At the same time, many residents are unaware of the wide variety of good career opportunities available to them. And the goals of training providers and service organizations could be optimized through collaboration and partnerships.
In 2021, the NorthSide North Shore Chamber launched NorthSideWorks! with the support of the Buhl Foundation. NorthSideWorks! is a workforce development program that connects employers, residents, training providers and service organizations to relevant resources. Through consistent outreach and data-driven analysis, gaps in labor supply and demand are addressed.
A flyer summarizing the program’s activities can be found here and is pictured below:
Also, follow the program on Facebook and Instagram.
WORKFORCE RESOURCES
“NorthSideWorks! Resources” Google Sheet – From established partnerships and ongoing research, the NorthSideWorks! team compiles information about jobs, workforce events, and training programs. This information is available in a continuously-updated online resource here.
- Jobs – Open positions, including how to find Northside jobs on popular job sites.
- Workforce Events – Upcoming hiring and informational events.
- Training Programs < 6 Months – Non-degree opportunities in various career paths.
- Training Programs > 6 Months – Degree or certificate programs in several different fields.
Resident Resource Guide – This guide was created to provide Pittsburgh’s Northside residents with relevant resources on employment, training providers, service organizations, barrier assistance programs, and training resources. This guide is updated quarterly, last update was February 2023. View the guide here.
Employer Resource Guide – This guide was created to provide Pittsburgh’s Northside businesses with relevant recruitment and retention resources all in one place. This guide is updated quarterly, last update was February 2023. View the guide here.
Personal Outreach – A list of links and information oftentimes isn’t enough and needs to be supplemented with an exploratory conversation. To that end, the NorthSideWorks! team is available to discuss resources, needs and opportunities. Contact Ellie Wentz, Program Coordinator, at ellie@northsidechamberofcommerce.com.
GET INVOLVED
Different stakeholders can benefit from the activities of NorthSideWorks! in a variety of ways.
Employers
- Personal outreach – have a conversation about recruitment and retention resources.
- Job listings – notify the NorthSideWorks! team of open positions.
- Resources – browse the information in the NorthSideWorks! online resource, especially for training options for retention.
Residents
- Job opportunities – find open positions in the NorthSideWorks! online resource.
- Training options – learn about a wide variety of training programs to address different interests and skill-sets.
- Social media – connect to the NorthSideWorks! Facebook page or NorthSideWorks! Instagram page.
Training Providers
- Recruitment – meet with the NorthSideWorks! team to discuss recruitment goals.
- Job placement – collaborate with NorthSideWorks! to form relevant partnerships with employers.
- Promotion of programs – notify the NorthSideWorks! team of programs to promote.
Service Organizations
- Workforce goals – use NorthSideWorks! connections to enhance workforce-focused activity.
- Promotion of services – engage with other stakeholders to increase use of services.
Monthly Updates
- We send out a NorthSideWorks! monthly email, which is an informal update to tell of our recent activities and how you can benefit or collaborate.
- We want to reach a large list of contacts that make decisions about workforce development (HR professionals, business owners, service and training providers, etc). If you or someone you know would like to be added to the monthly update email list, reach out to Ellie Wentz at ellie@northsidechamberofcommerce.com.